President Obama Sings the Blues With B.B. King and Mick Jagger (VIDEO)
President Barack Obama sang the blues with B.B. King and Mick Jagger a White House Blues' Concert, Tuesday night.
President Obama accepted an invitation by Mick Jagger to join him during the final performance at a White House concert. Jagger reportedly held out a microphone for the president when the blues band, "White House Blues All-Stars" sang "Sweet Home Chicago," according to the Huffington Post.
The president felt compelled to join in the singing of the blues anthem of his hometown, Chicago, Ill. The surprise performance was initiated by Buddy Guy, who teased President Obama about his previous Al Green rendition.
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"You gotta keep it up," Guy said.
Soon after, Mick Jagger presented a microphone to Obama, which was a challenge the president couldn't resist, he took the microphone from Jagger and began singing his home-town anthem before passing the mic to B.B. King.
"Come on, baby don't you want to go," President Obama sang twice, before letting B.B. King perform the song.
President Obama took the mic back to cap off the end of the song, singing, "Sweet Home Chicago" at the end.
"For Michelle and me, there's no blues like the song our artist have chosen to close with -- blues from our hometown," Obama said.
Obama savored the other blues performances, consisting of Jagger singing, "I Can't Turn You Loose," and B.B. King performing "Let the Good Times Roll." At times, he closed his eyes and nodded his head while lip-syncing along with their lyrics.
President Obama said that sometimes there can be downsides to being the president, but singing the blues with Jagger, King and other blues legends made up for the challenges.
"I guess things even out a little bit," Obama joked for the East Room Assembly.
He went on to explain how blues music speaks universally.
"No one goes through life without both joy and pain, triumph and sorrow," Obama said. "The blues gets all of that, sometimes with just one lyric or note."
